Legal Question in Criminal Law in Virginia

Blackmail in the Church?

A friend of mine who was an associate pastor at a local church, resigned his position for financial and other moral concerns. One of these concerns was that his wife was manipulated by the Senior Pastor to control and lie to another church member. Upon resignation this friend felt obligated to relay his wife's feelings to the person lied to. My friend was first threatened by the pastor with a lawsuit for defamation of character/slander if he didn't write an admission of guilt concerning slander. My friend didn't budge and because the pastor was determined to clear his name, an internal audit was performed that found my friend has forged another's name on a church check. At the time, the pastor told him to sign the elder's name because there was no time to get his signature, but because my firend was the one who actually signed the name, the pastor is now threatening to inform the authorities of this forgery unless he admits guilt to this accusation as well as all previous accusations to include slander and defamation of character. In addition, he is to apologize for being malicious towards the church and ask forgiveness for his actions. Assuming that my friend's statements are true, what are the implications of such a threat?


Asked on 6/10/02, 8:39 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Sudeep Bose Bose Law Firm, PLLC - Former Police, Prosecutors & Investigators

Re: Blackmail in the Church?

The threat of criminal prosectution to advance a civil aim may be illegal and is certainly immoral. I would highly recommend against your friend making any further statements to the church or any members of the church. She/he should secure counsel and attempt to resolve the issues amicably with the church. With the mediation of an attorney, I think the church will be more susceptible to working out a resolution. Sudeep Bose (703) 981-7726.

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Answered on 6/10/02, 3:17 pm
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Blackmail in the Church?

Whether the scenario that you've described involves an act of forgery on the part of your friend, an associate pastor of the church at the time and who acted at the behest of the senior pastor in charge, appears rather dubious.

The crime of forgery usually requires the perpetrator to perform his act with the intent to

prejudice, damage, or defraud some other person or persons, which is highly unlikely with respect to the purported action of your friend.

It is also conceivable that the senior pastor

had authority to sign for this particular church elder and on that basis instructed his subordinate

to execute the signature. This type of scenario is not all that unusual in terms of

general business practices, and, I seriously

doubt that what you have described truly adds up to a case of prosecutable forgery.

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Answered on 6/10/02, 4:56 pm


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